Question: I recently was in my car at the intersection of Kaneohe Bay Drive and Kamehameha Highway near the Windward City Shopping Center, waiting at the stoplight for my turn to proceed. Many other drivers also were waiting their turns. A motorcyclist drove up from behind us, maneuvered between the lines of waiting cars and proceeded to the front of the line. I was appalled at such behavior. Later that evening, while in my car waiting at the Castle Junction intersection, another motorcyclist did the same thing. Is a motorcyclist legally allowed to do this?
Answer: “Lane splitting,” in which motorcycles go between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic, is allowed in California but is prohibited in Hawaii and all other states.
Maj. Kurt Kendro, commander of the Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division, pointed to Sections 291C-151 and 291C-153 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which give motorcyclists basically the same rights and restrictions as drivers of any other vehicles and prohibits motorcycles from going between vehicles.
Specifically, Section 291C-153 says the operator of a motorcycle “shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken” and shall not drive between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
The exceptions are motorcycle police officers on official duty.
You can find state laws on motorcycles on the website of the American Motorcyclist Association at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws.aspx.
Question: Nearly every single morning as I merge from the H-2 freeway into the Zipper Lane, cars in the Zipper Lane from Waipahu move into the merge lane to block/prevent merging cars from traveling down the merge lane. There is even a city bus that passes this point at 6 a.m. that signals to move into the merge lane and block cars coming from the H-2. At the end of the merge lane, the bus moves back into the Zipper Lane. Is this a permissible action by these vehicles? If not, please ask police to monitor and end this practice. Also in the Zipper Lane, motorcycles continue to pass on the left and right side of the lane to pass cars even when we are traveling 40-50 mph.
Answer: Going back and forth from the merge lane “is discourteous to the other drivers and will not get you to your destination quicker,” said Maj. Kurt Kendro, commander of HPD’s Traffic Division.
However, he also said it is not illegal. (Re motorcyclists passing, see above.)
Despite complaints that police are not enforcing Zipper Lane regulations, officers do conduct enforcement, Kendro said.
“It can be challenging to catch violators, however, because drivers and motorcyclists tend to obey the traffic laws when they see officers,” he said.
MAHALO
To HPD officer Muna, firefighters of HFD’s Pawaa station and the Ala Wai Harbor Watch citizen patrol for responding to a vessel in distress at Ala Wai Harbor the evening of Nov. 7. Harbor Watch was on its usual Thursday night patrol, accompanied by officer Muna, when a member noticed the vessel taking on water. While a neighbor went to his boat to get a submersible pump to put aboard the sinking vessel, officer Muna contacted HFD, which responded with larger pumps to quickly empty the vessel. Their rapid responses minimized damage to the vessel and prevented potential environmental impacts from fuel or oil spills. — Grateful Boater
AUWE
To the driver of a white truck who rear-ended my car earlier this month at the intersection of Hunakai Street and Pahoa Avenue and just drove away! My children, ages 5 and 3, were in the car, and luckily none of us were injured. I understand that accidents happen, and I wasn’t mad as I pulled over to the side of the road to collect your information. I was very mad, however, when I saw you drive away even though you knew you hit me. We all make mistakes and accidents happen, but for goodness’ sake, take responsibility for your actions. — Disappointed Driver
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